Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3Eliot, Charles
Religion
Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3
Eliot, Charles
Asia -- Religion; Buddhism; Hinduism
The legend of Kuñjarakarṇa relates how a devout Yaksha of that name
went to Bodhicitta[433] and asked of Vairocana instruction in the holy
law and more especially as to the mysteries of rebirth. Vairocana did
not refuse but bade his would-be pupil first visit the realms of Yama,
god of the dead. Kuñjarakarṇa did so, saw the punishments of the
underworld, including the torments prepared for a friend of his, whom
he was able to warn on his return. Yama gave him some explanations
respecting the alternation of life and death and he was subsequently
privileged to receive a brief but more general exposition of doctrine
from Vairocana himself.
This doctrine is essentially a variety of Indian pantheism but
peculiar in its terminology inasmuch as Vairocana, like Kṛishṇa
in the Bhagavad-gîtâ, proclaims himself to be the All-God and not
merely the chief of the five Buddhas. He quotes with approval the
saying "you are I: I am you" and affirms the identity of Buddhism and
Śivaism. Among the monks[434] there are no _muktas_ (_i.e._ none
who have attained liberation) because they all consider as two what is
really one. "The Buddhists say, we are Bauddhas, for the Lord Buddha
is our highest deity: we are not the same as the Śivaites, for the
Lord Śiva is for them the highest deity." The Śivaites are
represented as saying that the five Kuśikas are a development or
incarnations of the five Buddhas. "Well, my son" is the conclusion,
"These are all one: we are Śiva, we are Buddha."
In this curious exposition the author seems to imply that his doctrine
is different from that of ordinary Buddhists, and to reprimand them
more decidedly than Śivaites. He several times uses the phrase
_Namo Bhaṭâra, namaḥ Śivâya_ (Hail, Lord: hail to Śiva)
yet he can hardly be said to favour the Śivaites on the whole, for
his All-God is Vairocana who once (but only once) receives the title
of Buddha. The doctrine attributed to the Śivaites that the five
Kusikas are identical with the superhuman Buddhas remains
obscure[435]. These five personages are said to be often mentioned in
old Javanese literature but to be variously enumerated[436]. They
are identified with the five Indras, but these again are said to be
the five senses (indriyas). Hence we can find a parallel to this
doctrine in the teaching of the Kamahâyânikan that the five Buddhas
correspond to the five senses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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